In the Philippines, rising rates of resistant infections, coupled with high antibiotic consumption and gaps in preventive care, place sustained pressure on healthcare providers and national surveillance systems. Yet amid these challenges lies a powerful solution: vaccination. Modelling evidence suggests that scaling up vaccination for priority pathogens could prevent more than half a million AMR-related deaths each year. An ICARS-supported project, working to advance vaccine uptake to mitigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the Philippines held two key events in late November to strengthen integration of AMR and vaccine strategies.
The following summaries are drawn from two news stories written by Patch Burgisay and originally published here.
Roundtable discussion
On 27 November, professional physician societies and city health officers from across Metro Manila gathered for a roundtable discussion on integrating vaccination strategies into AMR stewardship frameworks. The roundtable discussion, organised by the Ateneo Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI) in partnership with Georgetown University’s Global Health Program, IQVIA, ICARS, and International Vaccine Institute (IVI), brought together representatives from major medical societies and local government health offices.
Dr Fatima Gimenez opened the session by framing the importance of physician leadership in AMR-vaccine integration, setting the tone for a day of collaborative dialogue. Following presentations from ICARS on global perspectives and IQVIA on scoping review findings, participants engaged in an extended grounding session exploring the realities physicians face in daily practice. The morning discussion revealed critical barriers to both antimicrobial stewardship and vaccination promotion. Participants highlighted issues ranging from prescription regulation to systemic procurement challenges.
Participants also discussed the politicisation of health services, with one noting that “counsellors and kagawads can dispense antibiotics on their own for campaigns,” complicating stewardship efforts. The conversation highlighted how patient pressure and fear of litigation sometimes lead physicians to prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily, with one sharing:
“To shorten the conversation, many doctors may also just give patients what they want.”
Yet there was also recognition of systemic complexity. As Dr Manuel Dayrit from ACRI emphasised, addressing AMR requires engaging multiple stakeholders:
“50% of antibiotic use is for veterinary purposes. What then is the appropriate policy and strategy to address this—why, how, and what? How can we work with all these stakeholders?”
The afternoon shifted to action-oriented collaboration through a hackathon designed to develop practical, scalable solutions for strengthening the AMR-vaccine linkage. Participants worked in teams to address key challenges identified in the AMR-vaccine pathway, drawing on their diverse expertise from pediatrics, infectious disease, public health, family medicine, and frontline city health operations. The hackathon generated several promising initiatives focused on feasibility and rapid implementation.
Read more about the proposed interventions as well as further reflections from roundtable participants by reading the full story here.
Community immunisation drive
On 28 November, ACRI in partnership with the Valenzuela City Health Office, launched a community-based immunization drive targeting senior citizens and addressing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
As drug-resistant infections become increasingly common, routine illnesses often require stronger or more costly antibiotics, placing older adults at heightened risk of severe outcomes. This initiative demonstrates how vaccination can serve as a practical, preventive measure in controlling AMR by reducing the incidence of vaccine-preventable respiratory infections that frequently lead to unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.
Around 100-150 senior citizens received routine adult vaccines administered by the Valenzuela City Health Office, supported by ACRI and international partners, including the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). The drive also marked the launch of a city-wide AMR information campaign, deploying printed and digital materials to barangay health stations. These resources aim to help healthcare workers integrate AMR awareness into routine consultations and community outreach.
The event featured short talks from local and international experts on AMR, who shared insights on current trends in the Philippines, strategies for antibiotic stewardship, and the integration of vaccination into public health policy. Following the presentations, the team unveiled their information, education, and communication (IEC) materials before proceeding with the vaccination of senior citizens.
“Preventing infections before they occur is one of the most effective ways to slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance” ACRI said. “Strengthening community vaccination is a practical and scalable strategy to reduce avoidable antibiotic use while protecting public health.” The question is whether the evidence generated by initiatives like this will translate into the political will and resource commitments necessary to make that strategy more than theoretical.
Read more about the opening remarks and talks given at the event, by reading the full story here.
